#219 ON MY HONOR  (Original air date:   04/02/98)
 

Written by:	Steve Gottfried & Edmond Stevens
Directed by:	Larry Lipton
Produced by:	Martha Williamson, Jon Andersen, William Schwartz & R.J. Visciglia, Jr.

Guest Cast:

Doug Milner	John Terry
Olivia Milner	Hallie Foote
Mazie Andrus	Julia Whelan
Barry Lockwood	Alan Peterson
Danny Bellamy	Trent Rockwood

 

Claire fills in at a Pennsylvania high school for an old college friend (Olivia Milner) while she finishes her master's thesis. Claire went to college with Olivia and her husband, Doug, who now serves as principal and has aspirations of running for school superintendent. Doug snubs Claire, co-opting an idea to earn points with the school board. The incident re-ignites an old wrong from their college days when Doug stole Claire's notes before an exam, ruining her chances to participate in a special study program in Italy. Meanwhile, Claire discovers some suspicious data on the students' standardized test scores. She eventually learns that Doug has been providing students with actual exams instead of "sample" tests merely to prepare them for the testing process. Concurrently, Dinah starts a fight with the school troublemaker (Mazie Andrus). But when everyone assumes that Mazie started the fight, Dinah keeps quiet. When Mazie disrupts Claire's class, a pair of broken scissors falls from Mazie's backpack. Considering them a potential weapon, Claire takes her to the principal's office. Under the school's three strikes policy, the incident results in Mazie's expulsion. Guilt ridden, Dinah tells her mother that she started the fight. Claire approaches Doug about a hearing for Mazie, but his mind is already made up against her. Claire presses the issue, causing friction between her and Olivia. At the hearing, Dinah owns up to her part in the fight and Mazie is reinstated. After the hearing, Claire calls Doug on the short cuts that he's taken and the message this is sending to students. Olivia walks in on the confrontation, revealing that she knew about the incident in Italy, and that she will no longer be a silent accomplice to Doug's dishonesty. Doug makes a public apology at the school assembly, announcing his intentions to make a full disclosure to the school board and mend his ways. Subplots: Nathaniel learns the importance of honor while trying to earn an Aquanaut pin in his first Cub Scout experience. And Josh convinces his parents to let him buy a used motorcycle from a friend, but learns a valuable lesson in motorcycle maintenance -- let the buyer beware.